Gluten-Free Beverages
Updated Mar 11, 2024
Gluten can hide in many unexpected products, including our drinks. As part of our blog post series to help you prepare for the upcoming fall and winter holidays, we have compiled a comprehensive list of safe-for-celiac beverages to ensure your peace of mind at any gathering—whether you’re hosting or attending. From breakfast to dinner to cocktail hour, this list aims to leave you without any doubts about which beverages are and aren’t celiac-friendly.
Juice
Capri Sun
Dole
Honest
Martinelli’s
Mott’s
Ocean Spray
Orange juice (Florida, Minute Maid, Simply Orange, Tropicana)
Simply Lemonade
Snapple
Sunny D
V8
Welch’s
Coffee
Coffee beans are naturally gluten free and safe for celiacs. However, use caution with flavored beans or grounds and instant coffees, as the additives may contain gluten. Always check the product label to confirm it wasn't processed in a facility that also processed wheat. San Fransisco Bay Coffee is one of our favorite brands.
If you (or your gluten-sensitive guest) does not drink black coffee, you’ll also want to ensure that your coffee creamers or syrups are gluten free (i.e., Chobani and Coffee Mate creamers; Monin syrup).
Tea
Celestial Seasonings (all flavors except Roastorama and Sugar Cookie Sleigh Ride)
Beware of Tazo and Teavana teas! Tazo no longer discloses which flavors contain gluten, but they previously reported four flavors (Green Ginger, Tazo Honeybush, Lemon Ginger, and Tea Lemonade) contained gluten in the form of barley malt. Teavana previously reported that all of its teas were gluten free, but now certain flavors are labeled as "May contain gluten."
Soft drinks
7Up
A&W
Barq's
Boylan
Canada Dry
Coke
Dr. Pepper
Fanta
Mountain Dew
Mug
Schweppes
Sprite
Sunkist
Although Pepsi products are not derived from gluten-containing grains (with the exception of its 1893 Original Cola), it does not currently make Gluten Free label claims. Consume at your own risk.
Alcohol
Hard cider (i.e., Angry Orchard, Strongbow)
Hard seltzer (i.e., High Noon, Truly, White Claw)
Liqueur (i.e., Cointreau, Disaronno, Goldschläger, Kahlúa)
Mead (i.e., Blisspoint Meadery)
Rum (i.e., Appleton Estate, Captain Morgan)
Vodka (i.e., Tito's)
Whiskey (i.e., Jack Daniels)
Wine, including champagne, prosecco, and brandy
Beer is typically derived from barley malt or wheat, neither of which are gluten free. Only choose beers that are labeled “Gluten Free,” such as Glutenberg, Omission, or Redbridge. Despite their misleading name, gluten-removed and gluten-reduced beers are not considered safe for celiacs.
Most wine coolers are made from barley, which is not gluten free. However, some wine coolers, such as Mike's Hard Lemonade and Seagram's Escapes, are crafted to remove gluten and are tested to be at or below industry standards of gluten removal. Each individual celiac needs to decide for themselves whether or not it is safe for them to consume these beverages. We encourage you to discuss this with your gastroenterologist.
Miscellaneous
Apple cider (i.e., Martinelli's)
Egg nog (i.e., Prairie Farms, So Delicious [dairy free])
Hot chocolate (i.e., Swiss Miss or Sillycow Farms; or make your own with Hershey's cocoa powder)
Milk
Plant-based milk alternatives (i.e., Almond Breeze, Pacific Foods, Planet Oat, Silk)